Slowly, but surely, states across the country are rolling out vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson and Johnson. Just when we’ve become accustomed to working from home in our yoga pants, we’re realizing that it’ll soon be time to go back to work.
The thought of going back to work might seem daunting, especially after all the precautions that have been put into place over the last year. The good news is that there are plenty of things you can do to make the office space a safe and productive environment. Read on to learn all about it!
Mask-Up
Some things don’t have to change when you go back to work. One of the things you should consider keeping in force is a mask requirement.
The CDC is now recommending that you wear a surgical mask under a cloth mask to improve effectiveness. You don’t have to require this everywhere in the office, but if you have a number of people who work in an open office space, then you should consider implementing it.
At a minimum, you should require masks in places where people cannot social distance.
Stock Up on Sanitizer
The best way to keep your employees from spreading germs around the office is to make it easy for them not to. Place hand sanitizer in common areas like elevator banks and doorways to remind your employees to keep their hands clean. Throw up some catchy signage, too, and you have a recipe for cleanliness!
You can even purchase paper products for your office with antimicrobial properties. This will make it less likely for viruses and bacteria to spread throughout the office because they’re being passed around from person to person.
Maximize Your Space
One thing you will have to put some thought into is how you arrange the seating in your office, especially if you have cubicles or open workspace.
You’re going to want to make sure that no one is sitting within six feet of someone else. This might mean spreading desks out or alternating desks.
If your office is totally full, then you should consider implementing alternating work from home schedules. This will keep half of your workforce home and allow you to keep them safely distanced while COVID is still a threat. If your employees can effectively work from home full time, you can keep your office even more safe than it was pre-COVID.
Going Back to Work Doesn’t Have to Be Scary
It didn’t seem like the pandemic was ever going to end, but there’s now a light at the end of the tunnel. Thankfully, following these tips can make going back to work a cinch, and they can help reduce the spread of things like colds and flu in the future, too. We’ve learned so much about safety over the past year, and now is the time to put it into place! Do you want more great tips about how to improve safety and productivity in your business? We’ve got all the tools you need! Check out the rest of our blog for tons of info.
